Mom thinks she won $5,000 - until she shows the NC lottery ticket to her daughter
A North Carolina mom’s lottery win turned out to be a lot bigger than she thought.
Mary Johnson from Lincoln County stopped at a convenience store in Stanley on her way to work and bought a $150,000 Cashword scratch-off ticket for $5, according to a release from the North Carolina Education Lottery.
Johnson got excited when she scratched the ticket and thought she won $5,000, she told lottery officials. She texted a picture of the ticket to her daughter, who pointed out she had actually won $150,000.
“When she told me I won $150,000 not $5,000, I freaked out,” Johnson told lottery officials. “I just cried and cried.”
Johnson told lottery officials she plans to use the money to pay off her bills.
“I’m going to be debt free,” Johnson said, according to lottery officials. “Can you imagine? It just sounds so good. I’m a single mom of three and this is so exciting. It’s the American dream. What a wonderful way to start the New Year.”
She claimed her prize Wednesday and took home $106,126 after taxes, according to the lottery.
She won the last top prize of the game, which launched in October, according to the lottery. Lottery officials will now end the game.
